Herald Journal / Enterprise Dispatch, Nov. 7, 2005

Metcalf returns to direct Buffalo musical ‘Nunsense’

By Kristen Miller
Staff Writer

A former Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted teacher and theater director has retired from teaching, but not directing.

Dave Metcalf of Cokato is currently directing the musical comedy, “Nunsense,” set to debut Wednesday, Nov. 9 through Nov. 12 at 7:30 p.m. with a 2 p.m. matinee Sunday, Nov. 13 at the Discovery Auditorium in Buffalo.

The story begins with a cook, Julia (Child of God) who accidentally poisons 56 nuns in the convent.

A group of nuns have to raise money for the burial of the last four nuns, kept in the freezer.

The nuns put on a “western spoof” with song and dance that will get the audience involved.

The nuns perform in a short skit on DVD, filmed by Jox Metcalf, Dave’s son.

“Anyone with a Catholic background can relate,” said Metcalf, although, according to an Entertainment Tonight critic, “you don’t have to be Catholic to love ‘Nunsense’.”

Linda Metcalf, the wife of Dave, is performing in the musical as one of the nuns. Linda is a substitute teacher for HLWW and Dassel-Cokato schools.

Last June, Dave retired from HLWW High School where he taught for 34 years in English and theater.

Metcalf loved his experience with the kids and being involved in theater. “It is a loss to miss them,” he said.

Not only does he miss the drama students, but also Don Anderson, the music director for theater.

“He (Anderson) was an inspirational leader for the kids,” Metcalf said.

While Metcalf was directing at the HLWW high school, the student actors won the highest honors possible at high school level for a one-act play for “The Voice of the Prairie.”

Other plays Metcalf directed were “Guys and Dolls,” “The Wiz,” “Brigadoon,” and his last musical before he retired, “Les Miserables.”

He explained that he saw Les Miserables in the cities recently, but the performance of his students “was far more superior.”

Metcalf is working on resurrecting the former Community Theater known as the “Village Players,” where there would be two annual plays, one large-scale play in the summer, and a smaller one in the winter at the Ergot building in Dassel.

Tickets for “Nunsense” are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $8 for students under 18. They can be purchased at Renaissance West in downtown Buffalo, at the door, or by calling the BCT Hotline at (763)682-9454.

The musical was originally written and directed by Dan Groggin, and has been the winner of four Outer Critics Awards including Best Off Broadway.